Wrench



Sept. 6,1927. 1,641,484

. M. M. HARMAN WRENCH Filed Sept. 25. 1926 Man he MHarm an INVENTOR %& BY I ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

' UNITED STATES MONTIE M. Ham/inn, on FnEDEnIo, MICHIGAN.

' WRENCH.

Application filed September 2 5, .1926. Serial No. 137,745.

My present invention has reference to improvements in socket wrenches, and has for its primary object the provision of a wrench of this type especially adaptable for use in operating on nuts or other devices which have a tendency or which are influenced by spring or other means to return to initial position until after being moved a desirable predetermined distance, inasmuch as the wrench will firmly grip such article to turn the same in either desired direction and in which, should the article be influenced in an opposite direction the socket of the wrench will revolve in the handle portion of said wrench so that injury to the operator by the backward flying of the wrench handle cannot occur.

A further object is the pro-vision of a socket wrench characterized by simplicity in construction and efficiency in practical use. To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in the improvements as hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a wrench in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the cap plate swung to illustrate the socket head with the guards therein which grip the tool head when both of these elements are turned together;

Fig. 3 is a similar view but showing the arrangement of the guards when a reverse pressure is applied to the socket head; and

Fig. 4: is a sectional view approximately on the line 4.4 of Fig. 1.

The handle 1 of my improved wrench merges into a ringend or head 2, and this ring or head is formed at one of its edges with an inwardly extending annular flange 8. The pocket in the head 2 is designed to be closed by a cap plate l. The plate is shaped complemental to the head and the portion of the handle or shank adjacent thereto, the last mentioned reduced portion having passed through an opening therein a headed pivot 5, there being a spring 6 surrounding the pivot and exerting a pressure uponthe cap plate to force the same against the tool head. The second end of the cap plate is provided with a key-hole opening 7 which is designed to receive therethrou h a headed member 8 that has its shank fixed ly secured in the head 2. By this arrangement it will be seen that the cap plate 4: may be readily attached to and firmly secured in a position to cover the socket in the head 2, and likewise may be readily swung to the positions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

In the rounded socket of the head 2 there is the disk head 9 of the wrench. The disk or wrench head 9 has a socket 10 therethrough to engage with a nut or bolt or to engage with a suitable tool carrying a socket. The head 9, at points equidistant from the opposite sides of its center, is formed with substantially rectangular openings 11, and the inner wall of each opening is provided with an outwardly directed rounded lug 12. Loosely received in each opening 11 there is a dog The dog has an outer rounded edge 14. and an inner concaved edge 15 to rest on the lug 12. The dog is of a width less than that of the opening 11 in which it is received and is of a length whereby the said dog, when fulcrumed on the lugs 12, is free to tilt or cant. When the wrench is turned in one direction the dogs will only slightly cant so that the sharpened edges 16 at one of the corners thereof will have a biting engagement with the wall 17 in the ring head 2 of the tool. As long as the wrench is turned in this direction the object engaged by the socket head will be likewise turned. Should the object engaged by the socket head offer a resistance to the tool in an opposite direction, the dogs 13 will be moved by the pressure thus exerted on the head 9 to cant on their fulcrum walls in an opposite direction, which brings the biting edges 16 of the said dogs out of biting engagement with the wall 17 and permits of the head 9 to turn the ob ject without influencing the handle to turn therewith, with the result that no injury can be inflicted on the operator of the wrench.

While I have illustrated a satisfactory embodiment of my improved device, my features of invention are capable of extended application, and I do not wish to be limited to the specific structure herein shown and described.

Having described the invention, I claim A wrench for the purpose set forth including a handle which merges into a ring head and which has one of its faces provided with an inwardly directed annular flange disposed within the socket of the head, a socket disk received. in the socket of the tool head, said disk having openings therein arranged at points opposite the center thereof, the inner walls of the said openings provided with rounded lugs, a dog of a lesser width than the opening freely received one in'each of said openingg each of said dogs having an outer and rounded end providing a sharpened edge and an inner concaveol edge which rests on the lugs, and a cap plate for the, non-flanged. face of the head, said cap plate having an opening therethrough to aline with the socket opening in the disk, a headed ivot securing the cap plate to the handle 10 of the to0l','.a spring surrounding the pivot and exerting a pressure against the cap plate said cap plate having a key-hole opening, andaheaded stud'on the ring head of the tool to be received through said openings. 1

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MONTIE M. HARMAN. 

